Palo Cortado is a comparatively rare type of sherry that we don’t see in the whisky world all too often. Sure, every now and then there is a release that says “Matured in a Palo Cortado cask” on the label. But in comparision to Oloroso or PX, for example, those bottlings are few and far between. Thus, I am always extra-attentive when I hear about a new release with such a cask formula – such Cley’s recently released 4 Years Old with a Palo Cortado finish. After an initial 3 years in a classic ex-Bourbon barrel, the overproof liquid was transfered into a Palo Cortado octave. In there, it ripened further until master distiller Paul den Dulk considered it ready for bottling with a total age of 4.5 years. As is usually the case with Cley’s meticulously designed and executed malts and ryes, the spirit is developed well beyond its actual age and full of intense aromas. Among others, this highly savory drop is sweet, fruity, and nutty altogether – with chocolate, coffee, and even some tropical fruit salad shining through at different stages, too. Since I got the bottle, I already poured myself quite a few glasses of this fine dram. And every sip was total indulgence!

by Tobi

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Eye: Polished hazelnut brown.
Nose: Fingerlicking good with juicy tangerines, wild strawberries, and sweetened brambles topped off with runny caramel sauce and dark chocolate sprinkles. Splintered nuts and crumbled oatmeal cookies are part of the delish mix as well. Way in the back, there’s even some tropical fruit salat that requires particularly deep sniff to be sensed.
Palate: Now, a rush of nougat, toffee, and hazelnut spread comes first, while the still-present fruits and berries take place in the second row. The whisky is weighty and creamy; the overproof ABV is nicely integratred.
Finish: Cley’s limited edition bottling with a Palo Cortado finish resonates for a mid-long period of time. Towards the end, it gets more coffee-ish. And also more chocolatey. But the sweet fruit n’ pastry notes fron before remain present in the satisfying aftertaste, too.

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Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: The Netherlands
Age: 4 years
Alc. volume: 51 per cent
Cask type: Paol Cortado finish
# of bottles: ?
Bottle size: 0.5 litres
Price: ~80.00 Euro
More info: https://www.cleydistillery.com/ (Distillery)

*** I got the bottle for free from Cley Distillery. Also, I run their
German social media profiles as an unpaid friendly service. ***